Pot Arrives in Wallingford: Hashtag is Open for Business

Wallingford’s first recreational marijuana store, Hashtag, formally opened its doors for business on Monday at 3540 Stone Way.

Unlike many of its brethren throughout the city, the door isn’t manned by a burly door guard checking IDs, providing an immediately more open atmosphere. So too does the airy space, flooded with lots of natural light.

Selections include several strains and growers along with edibles and equipment. Prices per gram appear to start around $15, from what I could see.

The establishment joins a number of medical marijuana locations already in the neighborhood. If you plan to visit, remember that all marijuana stores operate on a cash-only basis.

Since I can’t say I’ve ever tried it (I know, I know), I’ll admit this article would be a lot better if written by someone who knew a bit more (by which I mean anything at all) about the noble weed. Maybe that person can help us out in the comments?

46 Comments

Prices are in line with other stores. My gram actually cost only $12, same as it would have cost at Dockside way up north on Aurora, which happens to carry the same item. I didn’t count, but I’m sure they had over a dozen strains in “flower”, a representative selection of commonly available strains. I would expect more exotic items to show up as they get an idea of the market for them.

At this point, my impression is the young woman I talked to may not have known a heck of a lot more than you from experience, but had done her homework and was interested in learning more. And what’s probably more important, was a natural at dealing with customers, which I think is really important with a product like this where people may benefit from a little help.

So the short story, compared to other north Seattle stores – closer, more congenial atmosphere, same prices. If they can pay the rent, it looks good; if they go in interesting directions with their selection, even better.

I welcome them. I am very worried about those who rely on medicinal pot as the two systems are folded together. So many use the kind that doesn’t get you high. The salves for pain are lifesavers; will a recreational store be able to provide them?

The I-502 system is fine for occasional users – it’s surprising how much there is in a gram, and it’s very potent. But isn’t really designed to support regular user like an epilepsy patient for example, or a hard core stoner, who in either case may have built up a significant tolerance so will be out a lot of money. Real heavy medical users will want some other solution, untaxed or grow-your-own.

Other than that, sure – I don’t know what hashtags has right now, but some stores carry several high-CBD varieties with little or no “high” already, and the farms will be happy to grow anything there’s a market for.

I was very supportive of the I-502 campaign. I don’t smoke marijuana but I absolutely believe that it should be legal for a number of reasons. That said, I do have a question about this store in particular.

There are two pre-schools / childcare centers (Tara’s Tots and Fremont Community School) within 1000 feet of the store. According to the initiative, that’s illegal. The I-502 wording reads: “The state liquor control board shall not issue a license for any premises within one thousand feet of the perimeter of the grounds of any elementary or secondary school, playground, recreation center
or facility, child care center, public park, public transit center, or
library, or any game arcade admission to which is not restricted to
persons aged twenty-one years or older.”

Does anyone have any insight into why this store was allowed within 1000 feet of these schools / centers?

Even prior to Hashtag there was a store on the corner of 41st and Stoneway called “Delta 9”, right next to Lakeside Chiropractic & Massage. Of course I also know absolutely nothing about what’s going on inside. But I think it would be really cool to rename Stone way into Stoner or Stoned way. Does anyone know how to lobby for such things with the government?

First we have to figure out what exactly was the spirit of the law! I imagine the people drafting it up were motivated by a variety of different attitudes, but in my view, the thing we’d like to avoid is the scenario that a friend who taught at Roosevelt at the time described to me, where you could look out the window from the high school and see the kids lined up at a house where marijuana was being illegally sold.

So of course I-502 retailers check IDs, which should be pretty effective, but not an absolute solution. If you have ever seen a group of high school kids hanging around outside a grocery store waiting for someone with ID … If the nearest high school etc. is a long ways off, those kids will stick out like a sore thumb.

What’s the issue with these pre-schoolers? They aren’t even going to know the place is there, or care.

Huh? Laws have loopholes. They are not mutually exclusive. This sentence does not make sense at all.

Also, I’m not sure how it’s at all relevant that you didn’t know that those daycare centers existed (assuming you’re not the business owner, anyhow). The I-502 quote in comment 5 clearly says that pot shops within 1000 m of a child care facility cannot be licensed. Based on this law, the Hashtag owners should proactively make themselves aware of any child care facilities within 1000 m.

My assumption is that they were aware, and then took advantage of a loophole in the law based on the fact that the schools are licensed as preschools, not day care centers.

Are they the first business owners to exploit a loophole? No. Is what they did illegal? Probably not.

I buy your interpretation, to an extent. But I think it’s neither exact nor complete.

If I had more time, I’d do a little research. My gut feeling is that there are other reasons why people feel that pot shops don’t need to be located in close proximity to child care centers, asides from the scenario that underage kids are trying to sneak in purchases.

That doesn’t add up. If it isn’t illegal, I take that to mean that they did indeed meet the standard imposed by I-502. What you’re really proposing is that they should have investigated some additional criteria to rule this site out, that aren’t legally required. That isn’t an outlandish idea to me – people often make ethical choices that aren’t compelled by law – but you have clarify the ethical issue here beyond “it says `child care’ and preschool is another word for child care”. If it’s just semantics, the law settles that. If there’s an ethical problem, what is it? In what way are the kids in the preschools exposed to some hazard?

An I-502 store isn’t a den of iniquity. There aren’t going to be people selling themselves in back alleys to get money for a fix. I wasn’t making that up, in #13 – the people who pose a danger to kids are the black market dealers. We’ve been tolerating that for generations, and now we’re trying to break away, with I-502 and a legal industry that’s on our side, but then we make it absurdly difficult to find legally acceptable sites in the city. If hashtags managed to pull that off, good for them!

oops, well, of course that was in response to #16. It’s something worth talking about, if there’s a location issue that didn’t get addressed. I’m just saying, I don’t see any reason to think the owners were pulling something underhanded or ethically reprehensible, from their point of view.

Can someone explain why they are concerned about the private pre school or day care? Are the pre schoolers allowed to check themselves out of class, wander the streets alone and walk home alone? Even if they were, which pre schools definitely don’t allow, the store windows are frosted heavily and you can’t even see any of the products from the outside of the shop. When I visited hashtag they asked for my ID right away.

Donn, I have a feeling that you and I agree more than we disagree on the issue. I never meant to imply that they were “pulling something underhanded or ethically reprehensible.” Nor do I imagine the place to be a “den of iniquity.”

Like I said, my issue is with the fact that the law (not me) says that the business cannot be located within 1000 m of a “child care center.” These two schools are, for all intents and purposes, child care centers. It is a technicality that they happened to be licensed as preschools, which some people consider to be different from child care centers. In practice, they are child care centers. That’s it — my whole objection.

Robert, I can speak for myself, having a child of my own at one of these schools. My level of concern? About a 1.5, on a scale from 1 to 10. Based on your sarcasm, I think you imagine a bunch of uptight Seattle parents clutching their pearls in fear. I can reassure you that this is probably not the case.

The “concern” is written into the law. That’s it — take it up with the people who wrote the law.

Preschools are schools with the focus of providing situations and opportunities for children to learn social skills as well as alphabet, counting, vocabulary, self monitoring, and to be really prepared for actual elementary school where academic demands begin right way in kindergarten, including homework- places where LEARNING is the focus. Childcare centers are for caring for children so their parents can use parent time in othe activities, usually work Childcare centers often have children as young as 6 months and up to 5. Focus is caring for children, not educational.

I’m sorry I should have been more clear with my comment, I got wrapped up in the sarcasm of Paul’s comment. And then my own, to be fair.

To me, loophole implies something untoward or unethical in the reading of the law, an extreme bending of the rules at the very least. And I don’t think that was the case here. I think they followed it as written, and opened their business accordingly. And I guess the state agreed, or they wouldn’t have been granted permission. But I really have no knowledge of their motives or intentions, so I could be wrong.

My point about not knowing the centers were there was perhaps irrelevant, but I meant it as an illustration of the fact that small home-base centers can and do pop up frequently (not saying yours necessarily, I don’t know it, but I hope you love it as good childcare is hard to find) and these I-502 businesses shouldn’t have to always consider them in their measurement. Again, the state apparently agrees, or Hashtag wouldn’t be there.

Finally, while you may not be clutching at pearls, I’ve found Wallingford to be one of the most pearl-clutchingest places I’ve ever lived. From development, to nightclubs, the pledge of allegiance, urban bees, and the loss of 2 whole parking spots on 45th, there’s literally nothing our neighborhood won’t absolutely lose their collective minds about. I don’t think I’m the only one who’s felt this either, but apologies if I’ve erroneously lumped you in.

I agree with everything you say… And my response to you was probably too aggressive — sorry for that.

I should admit that I don’t know anything about the intentions of the business owners, and maybe they weren’t doing something shifty or law-bending at all. I was making the assumption that they had to investigate the area thoroughly during the permitting process and that the two schools would have been identified. But, to be fair, maybe they used a database of permitted child care facilities and the two schools simply did not appear. I should probably give them the benefit of the doubt.

Yes, pearl-clutching in Wallingford. It’s true. My personal favorite Wallingford-flavor is outrage over not being able to get one’s kid into a language immersion school.

Woowoow — while your definitions maybe be correct according to a dictionary, in practice there are essentially no facilities in Seattle that fit perfectly into one of those two boxes. In fact, the two schools near the pot shop care for children ranging in age from 2 to 6, and there is very little academic learning.

My definitions are likely correct from a dictionary and are likely correct in theory and often practice in the education field, in which I have worked over 30 years. I interviewed with Fremont ( few years back) and know what they said in the interview process of their intent and mission. I know they also offered day care and child care services but their main focus at that time as it was explained was education and they were in process of adding Spanish program..

The opening of this dope store surprised me. I was walking home (I live just a block away from it) and was shocked to see this place up and running. You’d think there would be a public announcement with a comment period like when an establishment is applying for a liquor license. And I can’t believe it’s just a block away from a preschool.

I don’t have anything against pot, I just don’t want a store near my home. When I think of pot stores, I think of Aurora Ave… I’m eagerly awaiting a change in the law that lets folks grown their own pot for personal consumption so these stores will disappear.

Always remember:

KNOW THE DOPE FIEND! YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT! You will not be able to see his eyes because of Tea-Shades, but his knuckles will be white from inner tension. He will stagger and babble when questioned. He will not respect your badge. The Dope Fiend fears nothing. He will attack, for no reason, with every weapon at his command — including yours… BEWARE. Any officer apprehending a suspected marijuana addict should use all necessary force immediately. One stitch in time [on him] will usually save nine on you.

I would think that the homeless camping caravans parking right next to the child care establishments on Interlake would evoke more pearl-clutching. That or the homeless sleeping on the PNB warehouse loading dock across the street. My guess is that unless Hashtag plans to sell fortified wine and malt liquor, we will probably see very few problems with their location.

As an urban mom, the only thing that would concern me about living near a pot store, or having a young child in preschool near a pot store is the increased level of traffic that it might generate.

Homeless people would be a much bigger concern, as would any nearby drug trade involving needles. But a pot store is just a retail store, just like a liquor store, or a wine store, or the erotic bakery (RIP), or a tattoo shop, or a smoke shop, or the roller derby store, any other of the potentially pearl-clutching stores that are actually quite safe, good neighbors, and make Wallingford so colorful.

I’m an I-502 business owner (not #hashtag) and just wanted to address a few points that have come up in the comments section. First, its true that business have to be 1000 feet from schools, public libraries, parks that children frequent and licensed day care centers. I have not been to #Hashtag, but knowing that the Liquor Control Board will not even discuss acquiring a license unless you have a location that fits that (and lots of other) criteria, I have to assume they are within those strict limits.

Secondly, while I can understand some level of concern over Marijuana retail stores and production businesses in our neighborhoods (I live on Phinney Ridge), all I can say is that practically everywhere you look in Seattle (and the rest of America for that matter) is a bar, brewing company or distillery. Every gas station convenience store sells beer and wine and nearly every grocery store sells hard alcohol. Alcohol is physically addictive and causes thousands of deaths each year that are not even driving related. While there are certainly some regulations around the sale of alcohol, the fact is it is sold right next to schools, public libraries and parks, yet I never hear an outcry when another brewery/bar opens.

We all know people who drink and smoke marijuana. Some use it responsibly, others don’t know when to stop. This, in my opinion, is more an issue of education and the promotion of responsible substance use. As a culture we have been trained to think of marijuana as a bad drug, a gateway to worse drugs and a destroyer of lives. This is just poorly conceived rhetoric dressed in the guise of protecting us from ourselves. Do we really want the government to dictate what we do with our own bodies/consciousness? Shouldn’t we have the right to make our own (hopefully educated) decisions regarding the use of a plant that is probably thousands of times less harmful than alcohol?

The idea that these marijuana stores might attract homeless or criminal elements should be considered relative to how many homeless or criminal elements hang out in front of 7/11s, taverns and cocktail lounges. These stores are on nearly every street that has businesses located on them. The first link to homelessness and criminality is poverty. Many of these people indeed drown their sorrows and cover up their pain with substance abuse, but for every homeless addict, there is another 50 people who can responsibly drink a few beers or take a few tokes without threatening the fabric of our society.

Back to the regulations around cannabis businesses:

Many of these cannabis entrepreneurs are paying up to 2X the rental rates due to peoples wariness of the industry. With the 1000ft buffer rule, the increased rent, the massive security requirements mandated by law, the huge insurance premiums and a myriad of other taxes and regulations, literally hundreds of potential business owners have been unable to utilize their application to just enter the lottery for an I-502 license. Many if not most commercial property owners still owe money to the banks that financed their purchase. Banks will not allow those property owners from leasing to cannabis companies due to the federal laws surrounding marijuana and the industries supporting them. FDIC rules prohibit banks from any businesses related to federally illegal substances. I doubt I need to tell you about the dangers of pharmaceuticals and how much money banks and others make from their sales.

Seattle was allowed 22 or 23 (I forget the exact number) recreational stores. Compare that to the already existing 300+ medical marijuana dispensaries in the city. Now realize that House Bill 5052, which just got voted in by the state senate and signed in to law by Governor Insley, will close nearly every dispensary in Washington state. Soon there will be literally hundreds fewer marijuana dispensaries in Seattle alone. I personally am hoping for some small reprieve in the 1000ft buffer rule or a change in the federal banking rules so that legitimate and respectable business owners such as myself (and I imagine the owner of #Hashtag) can open and fill the demand that will be left behind by the implementation of HB5052. If you go in to these cannabis stores and see prices that are 2 to 4 times the price of a medical dispensary or a black market dealer, you might understand how theses costs climbed so high.

Imagine how many people must enjoy marijuana if it has taken 300+ stores just to supply those with a Medical Marijuana Authorization. How many businesses in Seattle sell some form of alcohol? I ask that you keep these thoughts in mind when you consider the effect that a single cannabis store might have in your neighborhood.

Most every I-502 business person I know (I have met hundreds over the last couple years at industry events and through business networks) are quite aware of these real estate issues and I am guessing that the owners and employees of #Hashtag are going to be very respectful of their neighbors considering the awesome location they have been fortunate enough to be able to move in to. If you have concerns over how they might affect the neighborhood, I highly encourage you to stop in and respectfully express yourself to the owners. While I am sure they won’t close up shop due to your concerns over their possible affect on the Wallingford area, they may make sure that any sketchy element hanging around outside, or any children loitering in the area are dealt with in an appropriate manner.

Their license depends on it and no business owner wants to upset its standing in their neighborhood.

FYI – I visited two new stores in this area this afternoon. One on Stone at about 39th, just south of the religious book store (was Helly Hansen at one point?), and one just north of Bridge Way. Both nice. The one north of Bridge has a great selection, not vast but some interesting choices. The one on Stone is more unusual – owner staffed evidently (plus golden retriever), got a sort of pharmacy feel from the layout, some product from small local growers I’ve never heard of. I spoke with the owner at some length, and was very impressed by his depth of knowledge and thoughtful perspective. The golden retriever comes out when people enter but doesn’t otherwise seem to have much of a customer support role.

With Wine World, Slave to the Needle, the new 502 shop (I’m presuming it’s called American Mary) and the new Bedrooms & More building to be constructed, that HAS to win a prize for the most entertaining intersection in the city.

I stopped by this place yesterday. It turned out that the notice was a little premature and they weren’t really ready, but did get to speak with Matt briefly.

This is a new kind of retail business, so none of us really has well informed expectations when we walk into a place. I’d like to think we’ll learn a lot about what it’s about over the next few years, before national legalization and Phillip-Morris et al. Cannabis is pharmacologically rather complex, there is a lot of interesting potential compared to ethanol for example, and our cultural background for it is terribly limited. Anyway, if you visit one of these places, ask yourself what their approach to the business is, specialty, target market, style … what do they bring? It’s a new world, but they don’t really have that excuse – they’ve invested all the time/money/energy it takes to open a store, so they’ve had time to think about it. You probably won’t find anything really strikingly novel, just a sort of personal taste or style that comes through.

The nearest place to me – “Oz.” on Stone near 39th, which coincidentally has their official opening day today! sure does have their own look and feel, and you might ask if you go in, why THC numbers aren’t listed on their menu/catalogue/whatever. (It isn’t because they don’t know.)

Sometimes you may find nothing there – I mean, it’s just pure entrepreneurial opportunism, with little or no vision past that – and I’d guess those will be the places that go sour as a neighborhood retail presence.

In their defense–and I still haven’t been there or know anyone there–he did say it was a soft opening.

Anyone who’s worked in the restaurant industry knows that a “soft opening” is still a rehearsal with room for improvement. They mentioned their open doors as a comment on an existing thread, so I wouldn’t call the announcement exactly formal or high profile. (Ha ha.) Give ’em another chance in 2 weeks, Donn. All should be forgiven in a soft opening.

(soapbox)
Speaking as someone in advertising, it has to be tons of fun to work on branding for this emerging industry.

To whomever had the billboard on Stone that pointed to the mortgage office: regardless of the pointing arrow fiasco, get a new design shop. That was terrible design for outdoor advertising. It was overdone and barely legible, even from 50 feet away. It’s possible to make billboards legible, subtle, and compliant at the same time.

My take in the billboard (on Bridge Way) is visual cues for Fremont, which they see as a sort of culture circus with a strong flea market flavor; hence the ’60s collage of graphic styles. Nobody loves a billboard, but rather than poke you in the eye this one kind of blends into the scenery, which has its merits. I-502 retail at this point is well served by a tactful, understated presence.

I guess they can say they’re in Fremont if they want, since they’re on the other side of Stone, but they’re a lot closer to me than the place on 45th, which is practically in the University District. As for the soft opening … whatever. I did get to talk to someone, and in two weeks I expect he will have about the same things to say.

Whoa, so is that 4 places in Wallingford now – Hashtag, Pot Shop, Oz, and American Mary??? We just checked out Hashtag the other day and it was a very nice shop with good customer help answering our questions.

Right. We stopped by for the official opening at Oz. (pronounced “ounce”) today, and it has a more owner-operated feel than the other stores I’ve been to, and they’re very knowledgeable and clearly enjoy talking to people. Pot Shop Seattle across Bridge Way is also an excellent place. Our little neighborhood here is cannabis central, not just because you could park your car and walk to three different stores a couple blocks in either direction, but also because all three stores offer a better customer experience than any of their competition that I know of.

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